


Sodanjulistus

by SashaDerksen



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Historical Hetalia, Historical References, Hurt No Comfort, Mentioned Denmark (Hetalia), Mentioned Russia (Hetalia), Pre-War, Soviet Union, Unresolved Emotional Tension, Winter War, World War II, may be historically inaccurate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 10:28:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14998928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SashaDerksen/pseuds/SashaDerksen
Summary: Tino wanted revenge, offering his own sister, still under the same despotic rule he was under, to be free with him. He is surprised to find out where her loyalties lie.





	Sodanjulistus

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that though I have done reasearch on this topic, some statements about this conflict may be wrong. This is because I've tried to focus more on the characters rather than historical accuracy. Remember: this is a fanfiction, not a history textbook. Also, this is a pretty dark fic, so don't expect the characters to be bubbly and happy. Consider it OOC, if you will.

The heat in mid-July is always strong in this typically cold region. It’s the one month when citizens of Karelia could enjoy the weather in their homeland, swim in the lakes, which prevailed the country’s territory. The region had never been affected much by modern technology, save for, maybe, Petroskoi, where this story takes place. In most other places, nature was preserved and stayed the same as many centuries before this.

Sadly enough, the fate of the country was being decided on this sunny day, and, it seemed as the outcome would be rather depressing. In the heart of the city sat the two who would decide the country’s future.

Elena stared at her brother with empty eyes. She understood perfectly what Tino wanted now: revenge. His entire life his own country was controlled by someone more powerful, be it the Kingdom of Sweden or the Russian Empire, Finland never had power on its own. And now, when he was offered a pact with Nazi Germany, Tino accepted it in a heartbeat. Finally, he’d not only prove the greatness of his country and people, but also take revenge for the Winter War. So while the German troops invaded Kiev and Crimea, Finnish troops entered Karelia. 

Being the country’s personification, Elena felt it instantly. Her siblings, more specifically, Ivan, personification of the RSFSR, was too busy dealing with the southern and central invasions. He sent her a telegram earlier in the week that he was sorry and that she would have to deal with Tino alone. This upset Elena, but she figured that she would be able to talk with her only blood relative.

Oh, how wrong she was. Once he entered the palace, Elena could tell that her brother had changed drastically. The last time she saw him was after the end of the Winter War. He had accepted his defeat, but only officially. When they had gone to sign the treaty, his amethyst eyes hatefully glared at Ivan, but graced Elena a soft look. Though she was a living reminder of his failure, a territory that could’ve been his, she was his sister, and, even if only depending on that, she was spared of his enmity. She wasn’t allowed to even speak to him: her relation with him wasn’t important. Stalin declared him the enemy, and that was law. Tino lost, and now Elena fully belonged to the Soviet Union as the KFSSR. Her own losses didn’t matter, either. That was one thing the siblings had in common: they both were under the rule of stronger nations practically their entire existence, especially with such eager neighbors. Except Tino was now independent, and free to act upon his own will. Elena had always been intimidated by independence, but she supposed that she could have run the country by herself, if given the chance. That’s why she agreed to today’s meeting. Tino had offered to join her in the Axis Powers. 

A hilarious, yet deeply sorrowful sight to the one guard presented in the room. Both siblings wanted to have as much privacy as possible during this meeting. A proud, fit young man, dressed in a baby blue uniform with a coat, decorated with several medals, draped over his shoulders.This was an accomplished man: a personification, an elite sniper, a Finnish army general. He sat comfortably - one leg on top of the other, crossed arms, and a ghost of a taunting smirk upon his lips. Who was this polished soldier taunting with his appearance? None other than his younger sister, whose appearance was a clear contrast to his. The unimaginable amount of stress on her shoulders and slaughter of her people contributed to her frail, starved figure. She wore a typical Soviet dress, coincidentally, also in a light shade of blue, only the collar of which was visible from under the heavy grey military coat, which may have looked plain, but it served a purpose: hiding her prominent ribs and bony limbs. Elena understood that Tino knew of her health issues, but she wouldn’t dare show it to him like that. Though she did care for him, she was intimidated by his current stance and his barbaric way of barging into her country. 

“I don’t understand why you couldn’t sign the papers when they were sent to you in Kizhi. Did you miss Petroskoi and decided to finally stop hiding from your problems? Or did you miss me?” The smirk on Tino’s face grew, but no matter how tough he acted, Elena only saw the kind, pure boy with whom she grew up. She wondered if he had been brainwashed or acted solely on his own will. She didn’t know which was worse.

“I wanted to make sure that it was you who sent the letter.” She responded, voice as cold as stone. Had she been in a better health condition, she would’ve interrogated him more. Her pride didn’t allow her to respond to the second part of his question.  _ I missed you, Tino. I missed you terribly and all I want is to go home with my only blood brother, but I can’t find him in the soldier who is sitting across from me. _

“Well, of course. I know how important family is to you and I wanted to write to you myself. I don’t think you would’ve accepted a letter from some dumb old general who knows nothing about you.” His daunting facade was easy to see through now, but Elena was too focused how on the fact that he dare say something like that after taking everything of value to her away. 

“If you had known how important my family is to me and actually cared about that, you wouldn’t have put Matthias or Ivan through so much excruciating pain. You wouldn’t have supported those who want to wipe out all nationalities expect the so-called “chosen ones”. Most importantly, you wouldn’t have commanded your troops to slaughter their own Ugric brothers and sisters when you invaded my country. Tino, you do not care for me. You just want the territory.” She concluded, frowning upon his words. Though she was angry, her apathetic and worn-out state made it seem as if she was simply upset. She hated how weak she looked now, but, then again, was she ever strong, hiding in the shadows of more powerful ones?

As soon as she finished speaking, she could see Tino’s appearance change immediately. His eyes became darker and any positive emotions they held prior were gone. He sat up straight, so that he would be looming over Elena, though they were the same height, “Why is it that you only care about those two? Both Matthias and Ivan have hurt you so much in the past that if I were in your place, I would declare independence, and, then, war on them at the first chance I got. You say I don’t care about you, but do they? All they ever wanted was your land, yet you treat them so well. You actually prefer those greedy, bloodthirsty bastards over your only brother? What is it that they’ve given you? Power? Success? Or maybe, on the contrary: you don’t have a say in what happens to your country. Hell, Karelia isn’t even a country. It’s merely a geographical concept and your passiveness is the reason why it happened. You loved the Romanovs and your precious Russian “brother” so much that you betrayed your own people. I’m a monster for killing your citizens? I’m putting them out of their misery. As someone who used to be a part of Scandinavia, you should know that any proper Nordic would rather die than see the fall of their homeland. And it’s not like it had anything to do with Ivan. Even during the Kalmar Union you never fought back. Instead you became friendly with Matthias, you called him your brother and cast me aside. Was it because I was never as powerful as Ivan or Matthias were? Well, I sure am now. I’m allied with Germany and we’re going to take over all of Europe. Join me, Elena. I’m giving you a chance, despite all of those times you have wronged me. Those on whom you relied before have fallen.”

When Tino concluded his rant, the room vibrated from his voice, uncharacteristically loud for the Finnish man, for a few seconds. The room fell silent, for the exception of his sister’s shaking breaths, a few tears making it down her face. Elena tried to not lose her composure, she really did, but she didn’t dare to think that Tino was capable of such abominable words. What he said was, to some extent, true. All her life, Elena considered Ivan and Matthias her older brothers, though they were not related to her biologically. That’s because they were authority figures for her, an example to follow. They had colonized all of Europe and they truly were great and successful. She thought of Tino as more of a twin than an older brother simply because of how similar their lives and, at times, personalities, were. But he had always been rebellious. Save for, maybe, Swedish rule, he despised those who colonized his country with a passion. Maybe that’s why Tino and Elena couldn’t see each other’s point of view at the given moment: their beliefs were opposite.

Taking a few seconds to compose herself, Elena glared at her brother, who sat ever so proudly in front of her, “Berwald ruled over you and your country for over 700 years and treated you like shit. And, for some reason, you two remain in such friendly relations. You’ve become so dependent on him, even in the Winter War you had to be supplied with Swedish weapons in order to win. Do you think you would’ve ever become independent if the October Revolution hadn’t happened? Your thoughts are pathetic and irrational. What did you gain from this? Why are your selfish interests more important that peace?” 

The tears seized and the same taunting smile which Tino used to look down on her was now present on Elena’s features, while her previously smug brother bore a look of shock and offence. He expected to break Elena with his words, and when she began crying, he supposed that he had succeeded. This, however, wasn’t something he was prepared for. 

Seeing her opponent’s state, Elena continued, gaining confidence, “Do you really think that Germany sees you as an honorable ally? You’re nothing more than a country that went with them freely instead of resisting. Haven’t you learned anything from your time as a colony? Their promises are empty. When they take over Europe you and your people will be cast aside, just like everyone else. Take off the rose-colored glasses you’ve put on. You’re so full of yourself yet you haven’t been a country for even half a decade.” Now, sitting high and mighty in her newly acquired triumph, Elena didn’t even try to hide her satisfaction with Tino’s unhappiness, “How’s that for a war speech, little liberator?” 

Tino was too stunned to reply with anything so silence arose in the room once again. During those few seconds, the door burst open and a tall man with purely aryan features entered it, holding a paper folder in his hands, and declared that he had brought the treaty papers in, after which he left.

This unnamed man’s short presence allowed the Finnish man to gather his thoughts. When they were alone once again, Elena looked at her brother and a feeling of dread came over her. Tino looked so unfamiliar, so estranged from her. Her address must have been the breaking point: he no longer considered her a sister, but an enemy. And it didn’t matter what side she chose to fight on, he would see her as such nonetheless. That was because that day’s dialogue went over the war and politics in general. It had to do with them, as personifications, as people, as siblings, and it had come to the conclusion that they had nothing in common, and it seemed as if they never did. 

Tino said nothing when Elena picked up the paper and pen laid out on the table in front of them. This made her even more anxious, as it meant that he no longer cared what she would choose. That was enough for her to know what choice to make. With her usually neat handwriting, she signed off on the paper. Though the action lasted a minute at most, it felt like several hours.

Upon finishing, Elena closed the pen, and tried to control the shaking of her hands as she put the treaty on the table before them. Tino waited a few seconds before he took it, looking at said table with a blank stare. The sound of shifting fabric was exceptionally loud when he leaned over to the table and slowly opened the folder.

_ “I, Elena Šuoju- _ _ Venojärvi, personification of all Karelias, state my and my land’s cooperation with the Allied Forces in abolishing the Axis Powers in any way that it is possible.”  _

Tino didn’t even need to read the rest of the treaty to get the point. Though he had been expecting this, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed. He also began to worry for his sister and regret hosting the meeting in such a rush, “You don’t even understand what you just did, do you? And you rejected the imperialistic name given to you?”

Except Elena looked nothing like a victim, but rather a fighter. Tino began to recall seeing that same warmonger glint in her eyes, albeit he couldn’t remember where he had seen it before. However, images of a young girl, a prime example of elite aristocracy, standing in a once-beautiful dress that had been cut and torn in some places, blood streaming down her truly livid face with a revolver in her hand flashed through his mind like an episode of deja vu. In front of her stood a group of uniform-clad soldiers, armed to the teeth, and even through this chaos the words “this land is not yours” spoken by the voice of said young woman could be heard clearly. There was a good reason why Elena had supported the revolution and, later, the Soviet Union.

“I understand everything as clear as day. You were the one who slaughtered my people, and you will pay dearly. Karelia may be a geographical concept, so be it. I will become on with it. I will defend it to my death and make it my personal goal to eradicate those who dare soil this land with their filthy goals and greedy interests.”

Upon hearing her words, Tino hesitated for a moment, then scoffed but, soon, the man was full-out laughing. He didn’t know why the given situation was so funny to him. Maybe because of Elena’s absolutely ridiculous choice, or of how sure she was in such high words, or perhaps it was him that had gone mad and turned against his sister, betraying their blood ties, all while blaming her for that same thing. Fine, he thought. If Elena didn’t want to join him in becoming great, which he surely would, then he didn’t need her at all.

“Antero, come here.” Tino called for the guard who stood by the door. Though the personification treated him as a reckless youth at best, the black-haired pale man was actually highly respected in the Finnish army. He had earned Tino’s trust back during the Winter War when they had both been snipers, and remained close to him ever since.

“What is it, herra Väinämöinen?” Antero asked in a low voice. He had never been the one for showing emotions vividly, and that was one of the reasons why Tino liked having him around. The young man reminded him of Berwald, except Finnish and younger, and obeyed his nation’s personification without question.

Tino spared Elena a look that could have been described as peaceful, with a smile on his previously cold features. He got up to leave, though he saw Elena’s confusion, and turned to his right-hand man, “Antero, this is a direct order. Due to the lack of cooperation from _neiti_ _ Šuoju- _ _Venojärvi_ , we will proceed with the full invasion of Karelia, consisting of a set of strict rules for the citizens of the province, building prisons and camps on the seized territories, and, most importantly,” Tino stifled a small laugh and looked at his sister’s appalled face, as if the terror on her face was the only thing in this world that would ever bring him any enjoyment, “immediate bombing of the island of Kizhi.”

Elena listened with her mouth agape and refused to believe what she was hearing. Her brother, her own flesh and blood, would dare to do this. She began to regret refusing him. She knew that Tino would be ruthless, but not to such a despicable extent. 

Satisfied morally with the meeting which turned out in his favor, Tino figured that his job here was done, and began walking towards the exit with Antero at his side. Elena couldn’t let him go like that, she had to do something. 

“Tino, wait.”

“No.” The blond cut her off before she even had a chance to continue her phrase. He knew immediately that Elena would change her mind after his terms, but, after hearing what she had to say about him, he didn’t even want her alliance in the war. What good can come from the help of an inconsistent soldier who doesn’t even know their own needs? He didn’t need help from a traitor.

He turned to his sister with amethyst eyes glistening with energy, “You’ve made your bed, Elena. Now it’s time to lie in it.”


End file.
